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Definition of marchioness in English:

marchioness

Pronunciation /ˌmɑːʃəˈnɛs//ˈmɑːʃ(ə)nəs/

noun

1The wife or widow of a marquess.

‘Will you tell anyone who asks that I felt ill and the marchioness accompanied me home?’

‘It was a year ago this very day that the marchioness miscarried the babe.’

‘Thanks to the major and minor arcana of good behaviour set out in the book, I am at no loss as to the correct order of precedence as to whether a marchioness or a viscount should be led into dinner first.’

‘The marchioness will be fine after a few days' rest.’

‘They watched as the marquess and his new marchioness performed the extraordinary feat of holding their breath for some time.’

‘The Science Show had two dedicated court reporters on call around the clock, 52 weeks a year (or 24/7 as it's now known), helicopters on standby and research teams analysing every royal nuance down to the lowliest marchioness.’

‘Now let's see if they are ready for the new marchioness.’

‘It was not often that a marchioness of France underwent the extraordinary question.’

‘When he learned of her deed, Audubon wrote to his wife that the marchioness had pasted the birds ‘on the walls of one of her Superb Rooms.’’

‘But to his critics his fondness for the marchioness of Londonderry looked like social climbing and a desire for acceptance by the establishment.’

‘You did see the marchioness spill her drink on the countess.’

‘His travelling companions included Ian Fleming's widow, Anne, and the marchioness of Dufferin.’

‘A month later the new marquis was without a marchioness; his wife Carolyn filed for divorce.’

1.1A woman holding the rank of marquess in her own right.

Origin

Late 16th century: from medieval Latin marchionissa, feminine of marchio(n-) ‘ruler of a border territory’, from marcha ‘march’ (see march).